Notes Plus!
by Sofia-Puffergirl
Summary: Here are some of my assignments I worked on while reading the book Children of the River. I decided to just do this for now because my friend didn't want to be the only one with a story posted in this section. I might get around to a story one day :D
1. Stephanie's Notes

Hey people of Fanfic. This isn't really a story, it's a collection of assignments. If you read through them I think you'll get the idea of the book, if you haven't read it that is. I plan on posting a story along with this, I just don't know what I'd do for, what it would be about, and most certainly not how it would end. Review me your ideas and maybe I could get one started... :D

Themes of the novel, Children of the River- meeting challenges.

One of the central ideas in the book Children of the River is meeting challenges. Sundara faces many challenges through out the book. The first challenge she runs into is leaving Cambodia to begin with, then the boat ride must have been awful. With so many people getting sick and all. Finally settling in America could not have been as rewarding as they thought. Having to learn many new customs, and sift through ones they could not come to terms with. Not to mention learning another language. Then, naturally, falling in love with a boy she simply would never be allowed to be with. And don't forget all the grief she already gets from her aunt about little thing (like how she's becoming more American everyday). On top of it all having to deal with the punishment of the lost life of Soka's only baby girl. How could Sundara handle it?

When Sundara left Cambodia she was not only leaving the village of her extended family; she was leaving behind almost all the hope that she would ever see her real family again. Her father had sent her away on a plane at the time just before her home village was bombed. She was sent to help her Younger Aunt Soka and Uncle Naro with the delivery of their new baby. When the Khmer Rouge began taking control of the government the people of the small village of Réam and many others like it fled their village. Since her Uncle had connections with people he was able to get his family - and Sundara - on the boat leaving the village. Anyone who could not get on was sure to die. Getting over the many truths that life was not as she knew it anymore was a great challenge for Sundara.

On the boat Sundara takes care of her Aunt Soka's child, because Soka is sick. Leaving behind her life in Cambodia for a boat of seven hundred smelly, hungary, sick people who could not do much more then complain was not a situation Sundara had begged to be in. Even worse, though, was that the boat had no sure course. It was just wondering aimlessly on the ocean, looking for a land that cold take it in. It and it's people, that is. Finally the boat was sent to America. People grew quite excited at the thought of going to America. They had heard so many good things of it.

But America was not quite the life they thought it would be. Everything was so different from what they knew. They had to learn the English language and many American customs. Though there were some that they just could not adjust to. It was rather easy for the younger children, Pon and Ravy, to adjust to the american ways of life. Seeing as how they hadn't spent very memorable years in Cambodia. It would be easier to adapt to a new way of life. The Cambodian Adults in the story had a much harder time adjusting to new ways and were obstinate against it. Sundara, hard as she tried, could not always keep true to her Cambodian heritage.

And Sundara does try. But some forces just have more power over others. Her will to stay true to her native customs are just hairs weaker then the overbearing power of love she feels for Jonathan. She denies anything, even to herself at first, but slowly and surely she starts taking greater risks to be with him. When she is caught by a distraught Soka, on how irresponsible she had been, she tried to divorce herself from any hope that Jonathan could be with her, and tried to focus on a more plausible future. One that accompanied the return of another man she had once barred feelings for. In the imaginative future she was forgiven by all her family for the wrong doings she had committed. While she's trying to keep an open mind to this, ignoring Jonathan is getting harder. She tries harder to ignore and then is told that her beloved Chameleon is dead. Facing this tragic truth suddenly takes a turn for the worst on how she faces with Jonathan.

Her aunt would kill her if she found out she was hanging around that American boy again. But doesn't it almost seem as if Soka is being harder then necessary? What could be the cause of that? First off before Sundara came to help her aunt her mother told Soka to take responsibility for Sundara. So Soka felt that when Sundara did something bad she was going back on what she promised Sundara's mother. Then there is the fact that Sundara is oldest and should be more reliable then her younger cousins.

Lastly Soka has stuck her head high in the air and refuses to let the fact go that Sundara had killed (probably in Soka's eyes murdered) her baby girl, for four years. When Sundara has a break down over this and the restless spirit of the child posses her body Soka realizes that this was not Sundara's fault and feels horribly guilty of the pain she must have put her niece through.

After all this Soka was able to forgive Sundara, and Sundara ready to accept forgiveness. Though the two still have a strained relationship from time to time, they are much more understanding of each other. They get along much better, and can almost see eye to eye. Now that this bridge awareness has been built between the two Sundara has a much easier time taking on her many challenges.

Sundara faced MANY challenges throughout the book and there are probably many more to come for her. From leaving her country to not being able to be with the one she loves, life has handed Sundara more lemons then glasses to be filled with her sweet lemonade. But Sundara is smart and works to find the best way to solve her problems (not work around them!). Even though Sundara has an overburdened load she is able to meet the challenges!

Letters and other Projects worked on while reading Children of the River.

This was a paragraph we were supposed to work on in Language Arts class proving that memories can't all be preserved in scrapbooks.

Sundara doesn't believe that the best memories can be saved in a scrapbook, but I think some of them can. I think that having a scrap can't bring back all the memories but they help to bring back some. One memory I have as a young child, that can't be preserved by a scrapbook is I liked to reach up as a child. Since I had always been little for my age I like to reach up and touch stuff that was out of reach. One day I was in the kitchen and my mom was going to start breakfast soon. So she turned on the stove and left the room. I was reaching up to all the counters and then the stove. I'm sure even at that young age I noticed the oven top was warmer then normal, but I continued on patting the stove. When I got to the burner that was on, well it hurt. Just a little bit. That is one memory of mine that could never be preserved in a scrapbook. (How I remember it I just don't know...)

This was a paragraph long letter of what we though Sundara might write to her family, since it mentioned in the book how scared she was for not hearing from them.

Dear family,

I have fled with Uncle and Younger Aunt to America. I wished to know if you are okay, for I have not heard from you for many years. Younger Aunt wished to find me a husband, but I do not want this. I feel now I am an American girl. I hope you can forgive me. But I do not wish for my husband to be chosen for me, as I feel this is deprivation. I miss you, my family, dearly, but I am learning the ways of this nation well. Uncle and Younger Aunt can always find a reason to complain. We work on a farm for money and my learning is going good. Yes, in America we have schooling till we are eighteen! I wish to know how you are doing, if you can write back please do! I am desperate to know your okay.

I love you with all my heart,

Sundara

Sundara can't feel very good treated only as a burden by her aunt. This was a paragraph written after Sundara had turned eighteen (as in after the book takes place) and was ready to live life on her own (according to American custom).

Uncle,

I know you and Younger Aunt mean well, but you just don't understand. We are not in Cambodia and more, and no matter what you want for me, I believe I know what's better. And no matter how much you want to stick with all our customs, I now live in an free country where I decide my life. If I want to eat out, I shall eat out. If I want to hang out with friends, I shall do just that. Because, no matter what you say, I'm in charge of my life. I will direct it as I choose. I will date any guy I want to date. And maybe if I find the right one I will marry him. No one will choose my life for me. Now that I have lived here for six years, I know the American ways. Using the knowledge I have gained by watching those around me, I am ready to move on.

-Sundara

So that's just some stuff I wanted to share about this book. If I can get my friends to send me their assignments I'll post them as another chapter, then we'll all pitch in to write a story, we just don't have a plot. Send me your ideas please!


	2. Another Person's Notes!

So like I promised I have another persons take on this story

Which by the way I do not own!

The Person that wrote this is an active fanfiction user and I most awesome person if I do say so myself, but I don't think she wants me to tell you her name... paranoid!

Memories...:

Memories are cherished throughout life. Some good, some bad, but they all are important to life. My most important memory that I have learned happened five years ago. It was when I was eight years old and walking down the stairs. Clumsy, I fell down the stairs chin first, bouncing and sliding down all the steps. From that memory I should have learned to be careful going down the stairs. To this day, I still fall down the stairs.

Some memories involve Parental roles in them. This memory happened when I was five years old. At this age I was testing my parents authority a lot. We'll I was angry at them and decided for revenge. Figuring that the television is my parent's prized possession, I decided to write a angry note and use Elmer's glue to attach it to the tv screen. Once, my parents saw it, I thought that I was justified in my actions. I was wrong. After a long lecture, I had to take the note off the television and clean the tv. Then I was grounded for quite some time. From then on, I have not glued a note to the television screen, because who would want to spend their afternoon cleaning and scrubbing a tv?

Theme of Children of the River: (this might stink)

* growth and maturity

I chose the theme in growth and maturity in Children of the River. In the beginning of the novel, Sundara is only thirteen years old. She came to her Aunt's house, young an inexperienced, to aid with the birth of the Soka's baby. When the Khmer Rouge come to town, Sundara and her Younger Aunt's family quickly leave town to avoid the killings and forced labor. On the ship Sundara is faced with a toughening matter. She has to make sure that Soka's baby is going to live through the journey. Of course, the baby does not survive, but facing this challenge will make you stronger, just like it made Sundara more mature.

When they arrive in America, life is not how Sundara's family expected it. Things were much harder like picking up the English language. For four years, Sundara and company lived in America learning the American ways of life. Moving to a new country, where there is different cultures and languages, can make a single person stronger. This can happen by the constant humiliation of your accent, tongue, culture and habits.

While Sundara and her family are living life in America, things are not so great back in Cambodia. The is killing is on the rise as well as the war. The fellow Khmer people who are still living in Cambodia during this time, can be affected in many ways. Seeing the amounts of bodies, killings and hardness, can make a person more tenacious and strong. Not only will the people who live during this in Cambodia make people stronger but also people all around the world. Sundara and company become stronger in faith and maturity by believing that their family will make it out of Cambodia alive. Jonathan became more mature by realizing that some things are more important than lunch food or football, when he heard Sundara's poem. After his epiphany, he wanted more people aware of the situation. This is a major sign of growth in a teenage boy. Most teenagers don't really care and would rather live their happy little lives.

When a person becomes stronger they also affect other people around them. In this case, when Jonathan heard that his dad was offered to help out in the refugee camps and refused, Jonathan was furious. Jonathan wanted everyone to lend a hand to Cambodia and was angry that his own father would not even help. Normally, Jonathan wouldn't care but when he heard Sundara's life story, things started to change. Once his father heard Jonathan's lecture and lesson, he decided to go to Cambodia, and help out.

In Cambodia culture, it is against the rules for a Khmer girl to talk to a boy without supervision from a family member. In Children of the River, when Jonathan approaches Sundara countless times, Sundara almost always talks to him and expresses her feelings. Breaking the rules and disobeying your family is a big step and is a sign of maturity and growth from Sundara.

All in all, Children of the river showed many signs of maturity and growth. It just goes to show that all through life, major events will always cause someone to mature and grow in their personality or attitude.

QK QK QKQ QK QK QK QK QK QK QK QK

I still don't have an Idea for a story (and though the story pretty much completes itself) I kinda want to write one.

So, until I beg someone else enough to get their Language assignments (which shouldn't too long and is usually a matter of my laziness)

Thank you for reading

-Stragoal!


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